1. The Windows operating system has the ability to archive files on your computer, which can be useful in a number of situations. An archived file is essentially the same as any other file stored on your system. However, it is made unreadable to the computer and stored in an area that does not appear in standard searches or access points. In order to access an archived file, you must use a specific program that can read and access the file stored in the archive.
2. In Windows, there are several programs available for accessing archived files. One of the most commonly used archiving programs is WinRAR. WinRAR is a program specifically designed to extract, create, and view archived files. It can be downloaded for free from the Internet and is easy to use.
3. Once you have downloaded and installed WinRAR, you can open the program by double clicking on its icon. A window will appear displaying the contents of the current directory. To access an archived file, you must first locate the file within the directory. It can be helpful to use the search function found at the top of the window to find the archived file.
4. Once you have located the archived file, simply double click on it. WinRAR will then open the archive and display its content in the main window. At this point, you can select the files you wish to extract as well as individual folders and files. You can also create a new archive by selecting the “Add” button.
5. To extract an archived file, simply select the files or folders you wish to extract and then select the “Extract” button. You may then choose a destination folder to extract the file to, as well as set options such as password protection. When you are finished, select the “Ok” button and the file will be extracted to the designated folder.
6. Additionally, WinRAR can be used to modify existing archives as well. To edit an existing archive, simply open the archive in WinRAR and select the “Options” menu. Here, you can add and delete files from the archive as well as rename them and recompress the archive to save space.
7. Archived files can also be accessed in Windows using the program WinZip. WinZip works similarly to WinRAR and can be used to extract, edit, and create files within an archive. WinZip can be downloaded for free on the Internet and provides a streamlined user interface with helpful tools such as a wizard for creating archives.
8. Archiving files is an effective way to store and protect important data on your computer. By using programs such as WinRAR and WinZip, accessing and extracting archived files in Windows is a simple process, allowing you to easily access your data whenever needed.